How Social Media Affects Drywallers
(c) Trim-Tex and PRCTaping
Social media is a fundamental aspect of most people’s lives. They use it to stay in touch with loved ones, revisit memories, share important moments, and, increasingly, they use it as place to do business. So what does that mean for you and your drywall company?
Social Media and Small Business
One of the most obvious ways that social media affects drywall professionals is as a tool for business growth and promotion. Let’s look at some of the ways your company can benefit from social media.
Numbers from market research company IBISWorld indicate that no drywall company in the United States has more than 5% market share, meaning that most drywallers are in small businesses or work as independent contractors. That makes sense since drywall is necessarily location-based: you can’t ship your labor across the country the way someone might ship a product.
While that may sound discouraging at first, it actually means you can benefit a lot from one of the primary ways that social media adds value to a company: increased communication with customers. When people choose to hire a small business, they’re often motivated by the feeling of more personal service and the unique personality of the company or craftsperson they’re hiring. Social media is a great way to make your attitude and personality visible as well as demonstrate your willingness to communicate with your customer base.
You can benefit from social media indirectly, too. Many drywall pros say that word of mouth is one of their biggest business drivers and having a presence on social makes it easier for satisfied customers to recommend you to their friends.
Still, go in with realistic expectations. Not every company or individual can become a social media influencer or superstar. Use it as a place to showcase your best work, to engage directly with customers and fans, and potentially as a way to do targeted advertising for people in your area.
A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Even if you don’t become a huge influencer, getting pictures of your work loaded onto social media is a great way to build your customer base. Previous clients, other professionals, and anyone who’s a fan can use your posts to show friends the work you did for them, making it easier to refer new business. Potential clients can also more easily see the quality of your work and the kinds of projects you do.
Posting photos to social media can also make it easier for you to discuss project details with current or prospective clients. When you upload photos to social media, you can have your entire portfolio in your pocket. Then, you can bring up photos as examples and reference points, making it easier to understand what a client is looking for or explain your idea to someone who isn’t an expert.
Personal Growth and Continuing Education
Much of the discussion around social media for professionals focuses on marketing and using various social platforms to promote your business. That misses a big part of the point, though – social media should be social. Whether from your personal account or your business account, consider engaging with other professionals online.
Discussion threads, drywall groups, and the profiles of leading experts can all be great ways to meet people who share your passion for construction and learn new techniques, ask questions, and get a lot of insight into every aspect of the industry. If you see a video of an interesting project or a new tool, being active on social media can enable you to contact the people involved and learn more. Producing helpful content and networking with other pros can help raise the profile of your own business, too, of course – but even if you don’t want to make your own content, being active on social media is an easy, free way to learn more about the craft and stay up-to-date with industry news.
Social Media Groups and Influencers in the Drywall Space
If you’re wondering how to get started with social media for your business, which industry leaders you should follow, or who to look to for inspiration in terms of creating drywall content, check out the following resources. They’re great places to start seeing all the ways that social media can enrich your business: